


A Human Shield: Held at Gunpoint

by deebainwonderland



Series: Irondad Whumptober [4]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Hostage Situations, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Whumptober 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 14:55:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,856
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20909501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deebainwonderland/pseuds/deebainwonderland
Summary: Violence is an integral part of Tony and Peter’s language. Luckily, there is always more to the story than that.#whumptober2019 #no.4 #no.5 #humanshield #gunpoint





	A Human Shield: Held at Gunpoint

“I think eating here costs more than Aunt May’s car. You know, if she had a car.”

Tony grinned across the table at the kid on the other side. Peter's eyes were scrunched up as he studied the menu. “I guess it’s lucky for you that you’re dining with a literal billionaire.”

Peter frowned as he shot a glare across the booth. “Very funny, Mr. Stark. You know I would have been totally fine with a cheaper place.”

“Yeah, but I have a sensitive palate, kid,” Tony replied, waving over the waiter. 

“You’ve got a sensitive something alright,” Peter muttered under his breath.

Choosing to ignore his charge, Tony ordered for both of them. Knowing Peter wouldn’t like some of the more exotic options, he opted for burgers. 

The wait for their food was filled with companionable conversation. Even now, years into knowing the shining boy across from him, Tony still marveled at how integral Peter Parker had become to his life. He hadn’t seen the kid in over a week and that fact had driven Tony so far up the wall that he’d come all the way into the city just to take Peter to dinner on a school night. This was a turn in his life that even Tony Stark never foresaw. 

Still. As he watched the boy animatedly recounting a story about the ventures of his decathlon team, Tony knew there was nowhere in the world he would rather be. 

Looking back, Tony would never be quite sure why he didn’t see the gun as soon as the man entered. Though he supposed it was due to his full attention always being directed at the damn kid whenever he was anywhere near. 

“Everybody on the ground! Now!”

Tony and Peter turned towards the door as one, Tony already half rising as he instinctively placed himself in between danger and Peter.

The man was high as a kite. That was clear from the get-go. His eyes flickered all around the room, never staying in one spot for long. The gun shook in his grasp. 

“I said everyone on the ground! Now! This is a robbery!” 

Tony’s eyes slid back to Peter. The boy was looking back at him wide eyes. “You’ve got to be kidding.” 

Seeing that the boy looked ready to jump into action, Tony shook his head vehemently. “Stay down kid! Spider-Man isn’t here. Right now you’re just Peter.” 

Peter seemed to consider this for a moment before nodding. Most of the patrons were already on the floor, hands over the heads. 

Suddenly, the gunman was right in front of them. “I said, on the ground!” 

Tony held his hands up over his head and cursed himself for not having a suit with him. “No problem, man. No problem at all. We’ll get on the ground.”

The man’s eyes swung between the two of them, suddenly lighting up as he recognized Tony. 

“Well, well, looks like it's my lucky day,” the gunman said, grinning at the pair. His whole body was twitching. 

Turning to Peter, Tony noted the fear in the boy’s eyes. He raised his hands over his head and slowly got down on his knees. “No problem man, I’m just a very lucky guy. We don’t want any trouble.”

Peter slid off the booth bench to his knees as well, looking nervously between Tony and the gunman. The man seemed to register the boy for the first time.

“Didn’t know the great Tony Stark had a kid,” he said, shuffling onto one foot, then the other and back again.

“He’s not a part of this. Don’t worry about him,” Tony said, sharper than he intended.

The man laughed and waved the gun in Tony’s direction. “Take everything of value off, Stark. I’m guessing you have quite a lot.”

“No problem,” Tony assured him, taking off his watch and digging out his wallet. 

“How about you?” asked the gunman turning to Peter. “Does Mr. Not a Part of This have anything of value? Cough it up, kid.” 

“I don’t have anything,” Peter replied softly. 

The gunman barked out a hysterical laugh. Reaching down, he clenched a hand in Peter’s shirt, dragging him to his feet.

The edges of Tony’s vision blurred red. “Don’t touch him!” he snarled, half rising.

“Stay the fuck down!” the gunman cried, tugging Peter to his side and jamming the gun up under his chin. 

Tony froze, barely breathing. The gunman grinned at Peter as the kid strained to get his face as far away as possible. “You telling me you’re up here wining and dining with Tony bloody Stark and you ain’t got anything of value?” 

“Just an intern,” Peter grunted, eyes fixed on the vibrating end of the gun.

“You usually take your interns to the top restaurants in New York, Stark?” the gunman asked, shoving the boy towards his mentor. Peter collided with Tony and the man quickly pulled him to the ground behind him.

“Mr. Stark,” Peter protested but Tony quickly shushed him.

The gunman hurried around the restaurant, collecting watches, wallets, and purses. 

Suddenly, a sharp sound rang through the air, the sound Tony had been dreading since he saw the gun. Sirens. 

The gunman just about jumped out of his skin. “Shit. Shit!”

Peter tried to look around Tony but he shoved him back. “Stay down, Pete!” 

The gunman’s eyes swung back the pair. He walked swiftly over and reached down to grab Peter. “Come on, intern. You’re coming with me.”

“No!” Tony cried, leaping to his feet as Peter’s arm was jammed and he cried out.

“Take me!” Tony said hotly as Peter was jerked from his grasp. “Take me instead.” 

“Naw, man,” the gunman sneered at him, hauling Peter in front of him and pressing the gun to the side of his head. “You’re more likely to have a trick up your sleeve.”

_ Oh, if only you knew _ . “Peter,” Tony said, trying to calm his shaking voice as the boy’s eyes swung to his. “Stay calm. It’s ok. This ain’t no rodeo.” 

At those words, Peter dropped like a dead weight to the ground, wrenching himself away from the gunman’s grasp. Not expecting the movement, the gunman cried out as the boy fell, trying to get his gun around.

Too late.

Tony hit the man like a linebacker. They both went down hard, the gun clattering across the linoleum floor. 

Now, Tony was no Steve Rogers but contrary to popular belief, he did know how to handle himself even without a suit. 

He gripped the man’s hair and slammed his head down hard once on the floor. It was over. 

Xx

Tony talked to the cops as quickly as he could, keeping one eye on his kid. Peter was sitting in the back of an ambulance getting his blood pressure taken. There was an orange shock blanket hanging off his shoulders and the boy looked positively harangued.

“Are we done here?” he asked the cop interviewing him, itching to get over to his kid. Damn, he couldn’t get the image of that gun pressed to Peter’s head out of his mind.

The cop gave his blessing and Tony hurried over to the ambulance. Peter was swinging down from the edge, leaving the orange blanket behind. 

“Hey, kiddo,” Tony breathed as he reached him. Peter smiled shyly up at him and Tony itched to wrap the kid up in his arms. He held back. Peter had gone through enough trouble today for being associated with Tony Stark.

Still, he simply couldn’t resist reaching out to slide his thumb over the boy’s cheek. “And you laughed at me when I said we needed a code word.” 

“‘This ain’t no rodeo’ is more like a code sentence, Mr. Stark,” Peter said, leaning into his hand. “But I guess I do see your point now.”

“Come on, kiddo,” Tony said, gently pulling him along. “Let’s get you home.”

The car ride was silent. Happy kept glancing the back mirror at the two of them but true to form, keep quiet. Tony just stared at the boy next to him. This miracle of a child who had stood so close to a gun today. Tony had to focus very hard on not throwing up. 

Peter was unusually still, staring out the window deep in thought. 

When they pulled up to his curb, Tony reached out to pull Peter’s jacket back up from where it had fallen from his shoulder. “Here we are, safe and sound. More or less.” 

Peter turned to Tony and the man was surprised by the serious look in the kid’s eyes.

“You shouldn’t have done that, Mr. Stark,” he said softly.

Now, here in this car with only Happy as a witness, Tony could reach for the kid without the guilt. He curled a hand under the boy’s elbow and drew Peter to him. “Shouldn’t have done what?” 

“Shielded me,” Peter said like it was obvious. “You didn’t have a suit or anything. You shouldn’t have put yourself in front of the gun. Or did you forget that I’m with one with an advanced healing factor?”

Peter might as well have poured a bucket of ice water over Tony’s head. 

Tony slowly reached out and pressed the button to slide up the partition between the front and back seats. Happy shot him a warning look in the rearview mirror before the separator slid all the way up. 

“C’mere baby,” Tony said and Peter slid across the seat with a whine. He tucked up under Tony’s arm and they huddled together for a moment listening to the other’s heartbeat.

“You may be a highly advanced kid with spider blood and a healing ability that is frankly ridiculous, Peter,” Tony told him softly. “But you are still the kid in this relationship. I’m the adult and you were only targeted because you were with me. There is literally no scenario where I am going to put you in between a gun and me.” 

“I’m not asking you to put me in between,” Peter said petulantly, knocking a fist against Tony’s chest. “I’m just saying you shouldn’t jump into the middle.” 

Tony snorted, “No dice, kiddo. It’s my job to look after you. Hopefully, that won’t usually involve bullets but for today, it did.” 

“I think this is one of those agree to disagree situations, Mr. Stark.”

Tony pressed a kiss to Peter’s head. “You’ll get it when you’re older, Pete.” 

Peter laughed wetly. “I really hate it when grown-ups say that.” 

“I know, kid. But you did good today. I’m proud of ya,” Tony whispered into his hair.

Later that night, Peter would lie awake in his bed and stare up at the ceiling until the sun rose. Tony would make his way back to his personal lab and proceed to have a panic attack on the floor. 

They’d both stared down the barrel of a gun today, terrified for each other. People don’t get to just walk away from that. But here, at this moment at least, they were alive and they were safe. 

That’s always a good place to start. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a kudo and/or comment if you enjoyed!


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